Page 18 of Fated In Winter

She blushed, and I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “I haven’t needed much space.”

“How long have you been hiding, Romy?” I asked, running my fingertips along her jaw.

“Enough that I don’t think I can run or hide any longer.”

“Then don’t.”

I had no idea what I was saying or what this meant, but I couldn’t hold it back. It was as if this was meant to be, and this was who we should be. I kissed her harder, and then she was tugging on my shirt. I let her strip it off my body as she raked her nails down my skin.

“Claws, no fangs,” I whispered, and she nodded, a smile on her face. “I’m not a submissive wolf, Conner.”

“And I’m damn well not either.”

And then I kissed her harder and bit her on the lip.

“Didn’t you just say no fangs?” she asked, her eyes narrowed.

“Just human teeth. I promise.”

Mating took two steps, two parts to lock into place for a bond to form that would irrevocably alter the two of us.

To complete the mating bond, you had to have sex, to join, that changed who we were together. That part would happen tonight, but the second part? The wolf needed to mark each other, bite into each other’s flesh using their fangs and their human form, and mate mark them at the juncture of their neck to their shoulder.

We wouldn’t do that tonight, even though I knew my claws, my fangs would elongate, needing release.

But not tonight.

And I knew the answershouldbe never. That I shouldn’t risk her, and yet my wolf didn’t care. It urged me on, nudging, and I would listen, just a little.

I pulled off her shirt, lowering my hands to her lace-covered breasts, and cupped them in my palms.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Romy snorted.

“You’re just saying that because you want to be inside me.”

My dick pressed against my zipper. “Well, that is true. You’re fucking gorgeous,” I whispered, kissing her again. My wolf wanted to bite, to mark, make her mine.

That was the problem with my wolf. I was always on edge. Always needing.

“Just touch, no bond,” she whispered against me, and I nodded. Neither one of us was ready for that and I knew it, even though my wolf howled in rejection.

It wasn’t rejection. It was common sense. Mating didn’t happen this way, and I wasn’t going to allow it. Instead, we kept our hands on one another, clawing at one another, needing one another.

I shoved off the rest of her clothes, her breasts falling into my palms as I undid her bra. She moaned, raking her claws down my back, and I let out a growl, kneading.

Her eyes glowed gold, just like mine did, and suddenly we were on one another, her claws tearing open my boxer briefs. She gripped me at the base of my dick, and I let out a breath, looking down at her. “Are you sure?”

“Stop asking. You know the answer.” Then she leaned forward and gently bit at my chest.

“No marking.” I remembered.

When she looked at the sting, she looked up at me and raised a brow. “I know. I need you.”

“I’ve got you.”

I picked her up at the hips again, flung her on the bed as she let out a laugh. That laugh did things to me. I could barely breathe.

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